Various types of top loading boxes for carrying especially liquid containers and including partitions within are known. However, a box and partition that are economical and easy to manufacture, yet being strong and of worthy recycling value has not yet been found.
For instance, in the bottled beverage industry, rectangular top loading boxes have apertures in the upper portion of the boxes' ends, for retail carrying convenience, and as a result of the shape or dimensions of the bottles used. The load carrying area above the apertures is small and weak and tears during handling of loaded boxes.
Some boxes, as in Canadian Pat. No. 650,568 of Oct. 16, 1962 as invented by Henry S. Wallace and William J. Hurrell, include a reinforcing tape above the apertures to reinforce the load carrying area and extending completely around the carton for ease of manufacture. The tape lies between a corrugated ply and the outer facing. A partition, for example, a 24 cell chipboard partition, is enclosed in the box to separate the bottles. However, the reinforcing tape in these boxes causes an adjacent bulge to form on the outer walls of the box. This bulge raises location problems and interference with graphic designs. Recycling of fiberboard with reinforcing tape insert is also difficult and thereby decreases its scrap sale value. Furthermore, the ends bulge outwardly when carrying the box from one end only.
On the other hand, double walled I beam partitions are known, for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,143 of Nov. 22, 1960 as invented by Homer W. Forrer. The I beam partition with two adjacent longitudinal foldably connected center walls, and having end panels at each latitudinal end edge, divides the box in two compartments. The end panels may be adjacent the box ends, the double thickness thus strengthening the load carrying area. However, this design is costly to manufacture and requires numerous steps in folding a blank into an I beam and inserting the latter within the box.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, easy to manufacture, inexpensive, yet strong two cell box formed from separate partition and box blanks. In a particular embodiment, it is also an object of this invention to provide a partitioned box having an improved scrap sale value.